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For the Love of Chocolate

In light of the upcoming Valentine’s Day festivities, I thought we should all take a moment to learn something new about a traditional Valentine’s Day gift. I’m talking about chocolate, of course! Did you know…

A quote for you (I think this soldier liked chocolate a little bit): “Chocolate is a divine, celestial drink, the sweat of the stars, the vital seed, divine nectar, the drink of the gods, panacea and universal medicine.” – Geronimo Piperni, quoted by Antonio Lavedán, a surgeon in the Spanish army, 1796.

A chocolate history legend states that the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl brought cacao to earth and was thrown out of paradise for giving it to man; it was believed that only the gods were fit to drink chocolate!

In the 1500s, when chocolate first made its way in to Spain, it was considered a health food and a medicine! Many doctors of the time prescribed it for curing fevers, cooling the body, aiding in digestion, and alleviating pain.

DANGER! Chocolate is poisonous to dogs (and other domestic animals); the Theobromine found in chocolate is a stimulant, especially affecting the heart muscles, and can be too much for small animals. So be careful if you have pets.

The melting point of chocolate is just below normal body temperature, so it literally melts in your mouth! Mmmmm…tasty.

In 1940, M&M’s were invented by the MARS Company for soldiers going to WWII.

The biggest bar of chocolate ever made was made in Italy in 2000 and weighed over 5,000 pounds. The largest slab of fudge weighed over 2,000 pounds and was made in Canada.

Currently, 40% of the world’s almonds and 20% of the world’s peanuts are used by chocolate manufacturers. One pod from a cacao tree (the plant from which chocolate is derived) contains about 30-50 almond-sized seeds. This is enough to make about 7 milk chocolate bars.

And, finally, 63% of Americans buy chocolate for themselves when buying it for someone else. So go splurge on your sweetie! But don’t forget to grab a treat for yourself, while you’re at it.

This Valentine’s Day, be sure to pick up some chocolate for your special someone, and don’t worry if you don’t have any extraordinary plans. Come on down to Love Bugs, the Museum’s Valentine’s Day bash!

And if, perchance, you are spending this February 14th alone, you should still go out and grab your favorite chocolaty treat; studies show that chocolate has anti-depressant qualities and mood-boosting goodness.

About Erin C

As a Youth Education Marketing Coordinator, Erin is responsible for keeping the 20 districts to the North of Houston informed about everything going on at the Museum. She also works booths at various conferences to help promote HMNS to educators. She is crazy about all things entomological, loves working with special needs children, and is always involved in some sort of creative endeavor.